Revamp the Lamps

Okay, I am not that clever of a person, but HELLO was that not a clever title?!  I thought of it while running my 9.86 miles the other day.  (Oh yeah, I increased my mileage again!!!!!!!)

Anyway....upon moving into my house I immediately realized how DARK it was without lights!  It didn't matter how cute my sofa was if no one could see it.  So I started looking at table lamps and floor lamps at stores.  IMMEDIATELY I realized how EXPENSIVE lights were.  For goodness sake, did you know a base to a lamp can be like $30?  Then the shade is like $20!  And if we are talking  a floor lamp plan on like $60.  Not cool.  Didn't God say, "Let there be light"?  So why does lighting have to be so expensive?!  And of course I have expensive taste and couldn't even bare to look at the ugly cheap ones.  Forget it.

So for a few weeks I sat in the dark (with no TV) and pretended to be Amish.  That got old fast.  Then my mom came up with the idea of secondhand stores.  GENIUS MAMA!  It takes a bit of creativity and paint but you CAN find a lamp with a shade for under $25.  And it can be cute!

Before:  Look at this "beautiful" lamp!  It had a shiny wood finish to it.
Goodwill $3



I used this sanding deglosser which is like my favorite thing.
It gets the shiny finish off of anything without sanding.  Just rub it on with a towel.
You can see the change in the color of wood as I deglossed.

After!!  I spray painted the base with Rustoleum Hammered Spray Paint
in a steely gray color (Conveniently found in my parents' garage).
The shade was in the bargain room at IKEA for $3.
New lamp for around $7.



Before:  This metal lamp had a reddish brown color with black
specks on it.  Purchased for $8 at a local secondhand store.



After:  I used the same color spray paint for the base.
Had to do a couple layers on this one because I had to hold it
upside for the very bottom.  The shade was 50% off at Shopko for $10.
Total:  $18 lamp

I am really liking my new lamps!  I honestly like them better than anything I found in stores for mega bucks!  I like getting what I want for cheap!  So go to Goodwill or another secondhand store and use your creativity.  A bottle of spray paint can be your best friend!  

I also bought a floor lamp base for $10 at Goodwill and a shade for $20 at Shopko (again, 50% off).  It's not my total favorite base but for $10 I can't beat it.  I am debating on spray painting it because right now it is a tan and so is the lampshade.  What do you think?  I can't decide.  Don't worry, I don't think it is actually going to go in that place either.  Opinions are welcome!!  

Only 7 days until Christmas break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This teacher is excited!